Various types of shoulder rests for violins and violas can be found in the prior art. Shoulder rests are used for support and cushioning between the back of the stringed instrument and the player's shoulder while the instrument is being played.
Representative shoulder rests or pads for stringed instruments of the violin and viola type can be found in the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,487 discloses a chin or shoulder pad for use with violins and violas which includes a soft, flexible, resilient body having gradually rounded sides and a flexible, resilient neck attached to or near one rounded corner of the body and extending diagonally therefrom. The body mounts flush against the underside surface of the resonance body of the musical instrument on a lower end portion thereof below the C-shaped bouts such that the neck extends around and over the chin rest turnbuckle or screw assembly. A pair of straps connect opposite corner portions of a distal end of the neck to corresponding corners at the base of the body to form a pair of loops which extend around lower inside corners of the resonance box bouts. The straps connecting the pad to both bouts tend to inhibit sliding movement of the body and neck caused by rubbing movement of a musician thereagainst. The strap which extends to and around the bout corner located on the side of the resonance box opposite the side containing the chin rest is capable of supporting a decorative ornament which is readily viewable by an observer when the instrument is being played. In the preferred embodiment, the body of the pad is generally rectangular in shape and has rounded sides and the neck is connected to one body corner and extends diagonally outward and upward therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,213 shows a shoulder rest for a violin or viola musical instrument having a support member made of an elastic polyurethane foam material and having opposing surfaces having a multiplicity of regions of depressions and regions of elevations dimensioned and proportioned to permit the regions of elevation to exclusively and compressively bear against the back of the violin such that external forces transmitted to the support member are resiliently transferred through the regions of elevation thereby reducing the bearing surface area against the back of the musical instrument and consequently minimizing the dampening effect the support member has on the sound of the violin or viola. The shoulder rest is removably mounted to the musical instrument by a continuous elastic band carried by the support member and having opposing bights for compressively engaging the lower bout and end peg of the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,337 illustrates a shoulder rest device for a stringed musical instrument, including but not limited to violin and viola. The base pad of the shoulder rest according to the present invention is secured at one end to the chinrest of the instrument by means of two chinrest loops. The other end of the base pad is secured to the back of the instrument by means of a larger, preferably elastic, loop which has a detachable end and which goes over the shoulder junction under the fingerboard and reattaches to the base pad. A pocket part has one lateral side containing hook and loop flaps for inserting foam inserts of various sizes and shapes and a hook and loop strip on the top side to attach it to the base pad at any position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,329 discloses a universal shoulder rest appliance for bowed string musical instruments such as violins and violas. The rest includes a unitary structure mounted on the back of the instrument box and having an elongated arm and a plate connected to the base of the arm. The plate extends beneath the arm and diverges therefrom throughout its length. The base, located at one end of the arm, is provided with a groove and the other end of the arm is provided with a foot having a groove. The groove on the base interfits with the lower ridge of the instrument back beneath the end pin thereon. The intermediate portion of the am between the ends thereof is curved to provide space between the intermediate portion of the arm and the back of the instrument box when the appliance is applied to the instrument. The back surface of the plate is adapted to engage a person's shoulder to rest the instrument thereon. Yieldable means are provided in the grooves at the ends of the arm for connecting the structure to violins and violas of all sizes.
Despite the fact there are numerous and various types of shoulder rests that can be found in the prior art, there nevertheless exists the need for an improved shoulder rest which permits a musician to comfortably hold a stringed instrument such as a violin or viola. The ideal shoulder rest should be light and easy to attach to the instrument. The shoulder rest should accommodate various physical variations of a musician and conform to the individual musician. More importantly, the shoulder rest must be mountable on the instrument in a manner so it will not scratch or otherwise damage the instrument.